Coded punch electromagnetic interposer assembly

ABSTRACT

A miniaturized electromagnetic interposer assembly is described capable of high speed operation from electronic trigger pulses and having coil-interposer arrays of dimensions suitable for direct positioning alongside a set of standard paper tape punches stacked in parallel groups for ten punch positions per inch. An interposer member electromagnetically moved between two stable positions includes a semiflexible twisted leaf spring stiff in the direction of movement of an electromagnetically moved member and flexible in the direction of movement of punches in their cutting stroke. The interposers and a punch drive comb assembly attain side by side positions in a notch cut into the side of a punch pin shaft.

United States Patent 3,127,100 3/1964 Schmidt. 234/115 3,307,781 3/1967 Jones, Jr 234/115X 3,412,932 11/1968 Masterson et a1 234/115 Primary ExaminerWilliam S. Lawson Attorney-Laurence R. Brown ABSTRACT: A miniaturized electromagnetic interposer assembly is described capable of high speed operation from electronic trigger pulses and having coil-interposer arrays of dimensions suitable for direct positioning alongside a set of standard paper tape punches stacked in parallel groups for ten punch positions per inch. An interposer member electromagnetically moved between two stable positions includes a semiflexible twisted leaf spring stiff in the direction of movement of an electromagnetically moved member and flexible in the direction of movement of punches in their cutting stroke. The interposers and a punch drive comb assembly attain side by side positions in a notch cut into the side of a punch pin shaft.

PATENTED HAY25 |97| INVENTOR JOHN PAUL JONtS,JF\'.

ATTORNEY CODEI) PUNCH ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERPOSER ASSEMBLY FIELD OF INVENTION AND THE PRIOR ART This invention relates to coded punches used in data processing systems and more particularly it relates to punches driven by a power source through a cutting stroke when an interposer is moved into position by an electromagnetically operated device in response to an electronic signal.

Electromagnetic apparatus for actuating interposers has been known in the prior art, but there has been a continuous demand for higher operation speeds and the prior art systems have been limited in speed by the electromagnetic interposer configurations.

Reliability of data processing equipment in operating at high speeds without introducing errors is a prime requisite of the art. It has been found that many of the errors made by prior art interposer-punch configurations are introduced in the presence of vibration either externally generated or imposed from internal mechanical arrangements which can flex and vibrate either sporadically or periodically due to mechanical impacts or resonances.

In many data processing systems, space limitations are imposed, which require miniaturized equipment. However, in the punching of paper tapes for example this poses a considerable problem since the power and force necessary to punch at high speeds has led prior art to tend to increase space and size.

The attempt to advance the state of the art in achieving the foregoing requirements has led to complex and expensive equipment requiring precision tolerances, which of itself reduces inherent reliability by presenting more chances for failure or defective manufacture. This becomes particularly evident wherever complex mechanical linkages are introduced, and furthermore these are subject to problems of wear, lubrication and temperature changes, etc.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A general object of the invention is to provide improved high speed coded punch equipment suitable for use in the data processing field.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide improved electromagnetic interposer structure which is miniaturized and simple in construction-and not critical in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide reliable coding punch equipment which can be operated in the presence of vibration and which of itself has little tendency to introduce errors because of internal mechanical wear, flexing or resonance.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by provision of an electromagnetic interposer actuation solenoid assembly in the form of a thin wafer that can be stacked adjacent to the punches in standard punch paper tape equipment at punches to the inch without requiring precision mechanical linkages or excessive parts. High speed operation of the interposer with a simple linkage is made possible by provision of a semirigid interposer member which flexes in the direction of the punch cutting stroke but not in the direction of its movement by the solenoid assembly. Mechanisms are further reduced and reliability attained by driving the punch through a notch in the punch shaft wherein the interposer and drive means are jointly inserted.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment set forth in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. l is an exploded view in perspective of an electromagnetic interposer assembly afforded by the invention;

FIGS. 2A and B are fragmental sketches showing the operation of the interpowr in a punch stroke;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a plurality of the interposer assemblies afforded by this invention in side-by-side relation as referred to FIG. 2A; and

FIGS. 4A, B, C and D are perspective views illustrating the sequence of making and assembling the interposer member atforded by this invention.

SPECIFICATION With reference now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. I, the interposer assembly has an electromagnetic wafer configuration 10 with an outer shell dimension of about one-tenth of an inch in thickness r, so that the wafers may be stacked side-by-side, as shown in FIG. 3, alongside a row of punch shafts 11, as shown in FIG. 2A, thereby to actuate positioning of interposer members 12 without any further intermediate mechanisms of linkages.

Each wafer assembly comprises a housing of magnetic material of low reluctance, such as soft iron, which is almost completely enclosed to give very good electromagnetic efficiency. Thus, the amount of electrical energy in coil 15 is nominal and will result in very fast movement of the interposer plate 16 between two stable limiting positions. The wafer 10 is of cubic configuration having a cradling groove cut in the topmost parallel surface 17 at an angle thereto to form the slanted surface 18, into which the magnetic interposer plate 16 is cradled for pivotal movement about the extending pins 19 and 20. A bearing groove 22 is cut transversewise into the top surface 17 to receive the pivot pins 19 and 20, about which is a sleeve of plastic material 23 such as Nylon to serve as a wedge in the groove 22 to keep the plate 16 in position without play in the assembly. In this manner the construction need not be held within critical tolerances to keep the magnetic interposer plate freely movable without binding or wear.

An indentation 25 is formed in the wafer between the surface 18 and the bottom surface of the wafer 10, which serves to close the housing and concentrate the entire magnetic field produced by the coil 15 across the very thin air gap between the plate 16 and the surface 18. The plate 16 is biased away from surface 18 by coil spring 26, inserted in boss 27 in the bottom surface of the indentation 25. This boss 27 also serves as a core for coil or bobbin 15. Thus the magnetic field overcomes the bias of spring 26 and draws plate 16 into contact with the slanted surface 18, which constitutes one stable position of the interposer assembly. If desired a small magnetic shim may be used to prevent the plate 16 from sticking in place, thus affording a fast release time when the energy in coil 15 expires. Apertures 27 and 28 in the side of wafer 10 permit the coil leads 29 and 30 to extend through the closed housing.

As may be seen from FIG. 3, when the wafers 10 are stacked side-by-side, the bottom surface as shown in FIG. 1 serves as a stop against which magnetic plate 16 may be urged by spring 26. Mounting holes 32 and 33 may permit the wafers to be bolted together or may permit a stop plate to cover the top wafer surface 17, when not stacked next to the bottom of another wafer.

As shown in FIG. 3, in exaggerated form, the slanted surface 18 permits the interposer arm 12 to move up and down within predetermined limits. As seen in FIG. 2A, the hardened interposer end elements 36 thus attain two positions, one of which is at rest in the notch 37 of the partly shown punch shafts 11, and the other of which is shown in phantom resting in a limiting position against the adjacent surface of the adjoining punch shaft 11'.

The notch 37, not only serves to simplify the mechanical linkage necessary between the electromagnetic coil moving the interposer and the punch shaft, but it permits the comb assembly 40 to selectively drive the punches through a cutting stroke in response to coded pulses appearing at the coils l5, and to retract the punches as the end element tab member 41 of comb arm 42, for example, engages the end of the slot 37 in the punch shaft 11. The slot 43 in comb arm 42 permits the power drive means, represented for example as cam 44 to reciprocate the comb assembly 40 and drive those punches through a cutting stroke in which the interposer end'36 is lodged in the notch 37. The drive mechanism, cutting assembly and tape transport equipment may be conventional and is well known in the art and therefore is not shown. The power drive may be cyclic or intermittent and cam 44 could be replaced by a power solenoid if desired.

ln FIG. 4, the construction of the interposer arm 12 is shown. This may be made from the block 52, which is grooved out as shown in FIG. 48 to present two rigid end sections 36 and 53. If made of spring steel, the web portion 54 becomes a leaf spring that is semirigid, bending only in one plane and not in the plane of the longest strap dimension. The end 36 may be tempered and hardened to serve as the interposer member without disturbing the flexing properties of the strap of spring steel.

A twist 60 is'placed near the interposing end 36 and a twist is made in tab 62 extending from the magnetic plate 16. The interposer element 12 may then be welded to the movable plate 16 by means of end 53 so that the surface plane of strap portion 54 is disposed perpendicular to the plate 16. This provides a stiff modulus that prevents any oscillation or vibration when plate 16 is moved quickly from one position to the other, and thus the electronically actuated movement may be made much faster without introducing errors by vibration of the interposer end 36 outof the punch shaft slot 37 or into it at undesired times. Yet, with this construction the mechanism is considerably simplified, since the flexible strap 54 presents in the direction of movement of the punch in the cutting stroke 66 flexibility so that the end 36 rides in slot 37 by bending of the strap 54.

It is therefore seen that this invention has provided an improved and novel coded punch interposer arrangement for which patent protection is petitioned as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electronically actuated interposer assembly for a coded punch assembly, comprising in combination, a flat wafer of magnetic material presenting two substantially parallel surfaces, a magnetic plate movable between said parallel surfaces, a cradling groove disposed in a first of said surfaces to receive and cradle said plate, the second of said surfaces presenting a substantially closed end of said wafer with said cradling groove presenting a third surface disposed at an angle to said parallel surfaces, an indentation in said third surface, an electromagnetic coil mounted in said indentation for moving said plate by electromagnetic force, and means mounting said plate to pivot within said two parallel surfaces to attain two stable positions in one of which the plate is disposed on said third surface.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 including a spring interposed in said indentation to bear upon said plate and bias it away from contact with said third surface.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means mounting said plate to pivot includes a bearing groove indented in said first surface, pins extehding from said plate for registration in said bearing groove, and plastic sleeves about said pins serving as a wedge and pivot bearing locating said pins in said bearing groove.

4. At least two assemblies as defined in claim I placed sideby-side with said first surface disposed next to said closed surface so that said closed surface serves as a limiting stop for pivoting of said plate within said parallel surfaces.

5. An assembly as defined in claim ll having an extension from said movable plate comprising an interposer, a punch, a drive mechanism for moving said punch through a cutting stroke, and an arrangement moving said plate into the two stable positions respectively to intersperse said interposer between said drive mechanism and said punch to transmit the driving force to said punch and to remove said interposer so that said drive mechanism does not move said punch through said cutting stroke.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said punch comprises a shaft having a notch disposed therein, said drive mechanism comprises a member introduced into part of said notch in the punch shaft, and said interposer moves in and out of said notch in said punch shaft alongside of said drive mechanism member.

7. At least two side-by-side assemblies as defined in claim 6 with said punch shafts spaced in parallel relationship to serve as limiting stops for movement of said interposer out of the notch of an adjacent punch shaft.

8. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said interposer comprises an elongated metallic strap with a rectangular cross section of such dimension that the shortest dimension of the strap provides flexing with little force and the longest dimension of the strap resists flexing, having the longest dimension disposed perpendicular to the plane of said magnetic plate to thereby provide positive movement of the strap between said two stable positions and flexing of the interposer in the direction of movement of said punch in its cutting stroke.

9. An assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the strap is a steel block having a midsection of reduced thickness to form said rectangular cross section, wherein one end thereof serves as the interposer portion extending between said punch and said drive mechanism.

10. An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said strap is twisted in its midsection portion of reduced thickness near one end and that end is affixed to said magnetic plate thereby to dispose said longest dimension to resist flexing when said plate is quickly moved from one stable position to the other.

111. An assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the drive mechanism includes a protruding tab member reciprocated by a prime mover, the punch includes a shaft with a notch in which the tab member rests and into which the interposer is selectively rested in response to electrical signals to said coil, with dimensions and operating movements such that said tab member and interposer push the punch shaft through a cutting stroke when the interposer rests in said notch and such that said tab member engages the punch shaft to retract it from punching position as the prime mover reciprocates it. 

1. An electronically actuated interposer assembly for a coded punch assembly, comprising in combination, a flat wafer of magnetic material presenting two substantially parallel surfaces, a magnetic plate movable between said parallel surfaces, a cradling groove disposed in a first of said surfaces to receive and cradle said plate, the second of said surfaces presenting a substantially closed end of said wafer with said cradling groove presenting a third surface disposed at an angle to said parallel surfaces, an indentation in said third surface, an electromagnetic coil mounted in said indentation for moving said plate by electromagnetic force, and means mounting said plate to pivot within said two parallel surfaces to attain two stable positions in one of which the plate is disposed on said third surface.
 2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 including a spring interposed in said indentation to bear upon said plate and bias it away from contact with said third surface.
 3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means mounting said Plate to pivot includes a bearing groove indented in said first surface, pins extending from said plate for registration in said bearing groove, and plastic sleeves about said pins serving as a wedge and pivot bearing locating said pins in said bearing groove.
 4. At least two assemblies as defined in claim 1 placed side-by-side with said first surface disposed next to said closed surface so that said closed surface serves as a limiting stop for pivoting of said plate within said parallel surfaces.
 5. An assembly as defined in claim 1 having an extension from said movable plate comprising an interposer, a punch, a drive mechanism for moving said punch through a cutting stroke, and an arrangement moving said plate into the two stable positions respectively to intersperse said interposer between said drive mechanism and said punch to transmit the driving force to said punch and to remove said interposer so that said drive mechanism does not move said punch through said cutting stroke.
 6. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said punch comprises a shaft having a notch disposed therein, said drive mechanism comprises a member introduced into part of said notch in the punch shaft, and said interposer moves in and out of said notch in said punch shaft alongside of said drive mechanism member.
 7. At least two side-by-side assemblies as defined in claim 6 with said punch shafts spaced in parallel relationship to serve as limiting stops for movement of said interposer out of the notch of an adjacent punch shaft.
 8. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said interposer comprises an elongated metallic strap with a rectangular cross section of such dimension that the shortest dimension of the strap provides flexing with little force and the longest dimension of the strap resists flexing, having the longest dimension disposed perpendicular to the plane of said magnetic plate to thereby provide positive movement of the strap between said two stable positions and flexing of the interposer in the direction of movement of said punch in its cutting stroke.
 9. An assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the strap is a steel block having a midsection of reduced thickness to form said rectangular cross section, wherein one end thereof serves as the interposer portion extending between said punch and said drive mechanism.
 10. An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said strap is twisted in its midsection portion of reduced thickness near one end and that end is affixed to said magnetic plate thereby to dispose said longest dimension to resist flexing when said plate is quickly moved from one stable position to the other.
 11. An assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the drive mechanism includes a protruding tab member reciprocated by a prime mover, the punch includes a shaft with a notch in which the tab member rests and into which the interposer is selectively rested in response to electrical signals to said coil, with dimensions and operating movements such that said tab member and interposer push the punch shaft through a cutting stroke when the interposer rests in said notch and such that said tab member engages the punch shaft to retract it from punching position as the prime mover reciprocates it. 